Thoughts on 'leaked' media?

[Evilland of Evil Business]

In a very sad turn of events recently, a band by the name of Noisia had their album "Outer Edges" leaked online a full month before it's intended release, forcing them to release the album early. This unfortunate event mean't that their sales (especially physical sales) would suffer.

So what are you thoughts about 'leaks'? Do you enjoy the early release and the elusive nature, or are you wholly against them - believing they are damaging to the creator?

[Cresage]

Well, in cases like the one you noted, I think it's a real shame--especially when it really can be a make-or-break sort of thing re: a creator's income from a project. I don't like leaked content for that exact reason, especially when it comes to leaks of projects by independent people/groups, since I think that can really be a huge blow to their financial ability to keep on creating. Like, if you enjoy what they're making, why would you mess with their ability to a) afford to live, and b) afford to keep making more for you to enjoy? Doesn't make sense.

(That, and I know that if I worked on something for a long time and just woke up one morning to find it already released by someone else without my say so, I'd be pissed and pretty upset. For me personally, there's a level of emotional buildup and anticipation around releasing a big project and preparing for how other people receive it; having someone release it early on me would feel like I walked into class and found out there was a final today that I thought was next week, and that I was already thirty minutes late to it.)